The Light
The Light (also known as the Holy Light, Holy Light of Creation and Light of Creation) is a type of magic used primarily by Paladins and Priests. Despite academics and arcane magi commonly classifying The Light as one of the five principle schools of magic, (the others of course being Arcane Magic, Dark Magic, Natural Magic and Shamanistic Magic) the majority of the common folk believe the Light to be a different divine force all together. Summoned by willpower or faith in one's ability to do so, the powers of the Light can be harnessed to heal, cleanse, protect, or harm. Most of its practitioners are called priests or paladins, devoted to cleansing the universe of darkness. Learning to wield this healing force takes years of discipline. Origins and characteristics According to the traditions taught by the Draenei, before life began and before even the universe existed, there was only the Light. The Light existed as a boundless sea of living energy, swelling across all of existence, unfettered by time and space. Yet as the ever-shifting sea expanded, pockets of cold nothingness appeared, giving birth to a second, opposite force: the Void. The growing tension between the two opposing energies eventually ignited a series of cosmic explosions that gave birth to the physical universe. The cataclysmic birth of the cosmos sent shards of fractured Light flying through the cosmos, suffusing the newly formed planets of the universe with the spark of life and giving birth to countless life-forms, the most common of which were the primordial elementals. Occasionally, these shards of Light would gather and form clouds of Light from which powerful beings would emerge. Appearance Most of the time, the Light manifests itself as a golden, shinning light, though it has also appeared as a glowing white, silver light. Not all wielders of the Holy Light follow the same path. For example, humans follow the path of the Church, while the Minotaur Sunwalkers like their shamanistic cousins follow the will of the earth. Elves wield the Light through the power of the renewed fallen star. Effects On living beings The Light is often said to bring about feelings of positive emotion—hope, courage, comfort—coming from the "heart." During the ritual that empowers paladins, the Light shines down on them and through them with blinding radiance. It warms at first, then sears. The person feels scoured; emptied, scrubbed clean, then filled again. The Light swells inside and then fades away to a tolerable level. On undead By channeling the positive energies of the Light, paladins can form a wave of healing energy to mend their comrades' wounds. This holy energy is capable of causing damage to the undead and their dark masters. Influence The Light is an important part of several races' cultures. Though overlap exists in themes and practices, several of the races have differing viewpoints and methods of wielding the Light. One thing is certain, wielding the Light takes intense focus and a very powerful belief. Elves Elf priests and paladins were known to have been practitioners of the Holy Light in the same vein as humans and dwarves. Some, despite their race's general seclusion, were even part of Paladin orders. The elves also had their own priesthood chapters in Thalamos, though these were less prominent than their magic-users. Many of the Light-wielding elves suffered a mass loss of faith during and after the undead invasion of Thalamos, which occurred during the first plague outbreak. Tefling Despite being foreigners to The Realm the Draenei had for thousands of years worshiped the power of the light. Using it to heal and even more so as part of their concept of religious morality. This is turn was one of the major reasons the Draenei were accepted by humans and allowed to live as refugees in their area instead of being shunned or hunted as many other non-human species are. Humans The Holy Light is a central part of civilized human society. It is the primary human religion and a staple of worship, respect, and honor in most human societies. Human paladins of the often become members of orders, seeking to do justice across the realm, while other humans join the Church. The humans were the first race to utilize the Light in an offensive manner through the creation of paladins, employing them against unhuman and human enemies alike. Human Light-wielders must abide by a strict code of moral conduct instilled in them by teachings of the Church.